Health and Safety Minister Lord Hunt has urged accident-prone North-East workers to take better care of their backs.

Latest figures show that North-East workers top the national list for bad backs, with one in every 50 employees reporting a back injury that has made them take time off work.

On a flying visit to the region yesterday Lord Hunt visited the Greggs bakery shop in Longbenton, Newcatle, to see how employers have helped reduce back injuries.

His visit was in advance of a new Health and Safety Executive campaign aiming to encourage us all to take greater care of our backs. Lord Hunt met employees who have been trained to use correct lifting methods as part of their work.

The minister said: "Occupational ill health and injury accounts for 40 million working days lost with back pain alone accounting for 4.9 million. The effects to businesses and individuals in the North East are almost incalculable. It's not only impacting on businesses' profits, it's affecting productivity and stopping employees enjoying their social life.

"Everyone needs to take responsibility for tackling this issue - and by taking simple, sensible precautions in work and at home we can collectively work to reduce the misery of back pain."

The HSE campaign is being launched on June 6. .